Seal-holding mechanism for locks.



o. H. JOHNSON. y SEAL HOLDING MECHANISM FR LOCKSl APPLICATION FILEDOCITI 7, 1909.

Patented. Mar. 8, 1910.

CHARLES HENRY JOHNSON, OF PETALU'IVIA, CALIFORNIA.

SEAL-HOLDING MECHANISM FOR LOCKS.

narcis.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led ctober 7, 1909.

Serial No. 521,453.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES HENRY JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Petaluma, in the county of Sonoma and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and Improved Seal-Holding Mechanism forLocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a class of locks provided for securing the lidor cover for a bor` or other similar receptacle, closed upon the bodythereof.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a hasp lock of a class such asis indicated, with novel details, that enable the retention of a paperseal within the lock over the key hole therein, which, if perforated, orremoved after the lid has been closed and secured by the lock, willexpose the fraudulent opening of the lock, and receptacle upon which itis mounted.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front view in part of a box and its lid, and the improvedhasp lock thereon in locked condition. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transversesectional view of the improved seal lock mechanism, taken substantiallyon the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear side view of ahasp plate in part, and of the locking mechanism thereon for retaining aseal, showing one form for the said mechanism, Fig. 4C is an enlargedrear view of the hasp plate, and seal retain ing mechanism thereon,showing a slightly changed construction therefor; and Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 5-,5 in Fig.4C.

Before proceeding with the description of the improvement, it should beexplained that the mechanism of the lock proper, which secures the lidclosed and the hasp plate locked, may be of any preferred construction,and, as it is not essential for an understanding of the improvement, itis omitted from the drawings, with the exception of a key post thatreceives a key, which opens the lock proper, and also releases a sealcover that is a detail of the invention.

In the drawings that represent the improved seal retaining device for ahasp lock, and its application, A indicates the body of a box or thelike, showing a portion of the front wall near the longitudinal center,and B, a corresponding portion of a lid for the receptacle.

A hasp whereon a portion of the improvement is mounted, comprises a leafplate 10, that is hinged at its normally upper end upon a fixed portion10a, which, as usual, is secured upon the lid B, at its center oflength, by screws or rivets a, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Upon the front surface of the trunk or boX body A, the flanged frontwall 11a of a lock case 11, is screwed by suitable means, said caseoccupying a cavity in said front wall, as is usual in this class oflocks and their application.

VUpon the inner surface of the front wall 11, of the lock case 11, aseal securing means is mounted, this device being shown in two slightlydifferent forms in Figs. 3 and a, the device shown in Fig. 4, that maybe preferred on account of its greater simplicity, comprising thefollowing details: Cent-rally in the pendent hasp plate 10, a keyhole bis formed, and opposite the keyhole a key postb projects from the lockcase 11. Above the keyhole o, a latch bar 12 is located, said barconsisting of a flat strip of metal of proper length and width, having alatching member 12aon one end, that is disposed at right anglestherewith. The bar 12 is pivoted at its end ZJ* that is opposite fromthe latching member 12a, upon the rear side of the pendent hasp plate10, thus adapting the bar and its member 12a, to receive rockingmovement toward and from the keyhole Z). In the upright member 12a, alongitudinal slot c is formed, that receives the body of a keeper screwc', the threaded end of which is screwed into a tapped perforation inthe pendent hasp plate 10, the head of said screw overlapping upon themember 12a, and thus loosely securing said member slidable upon the haspplate.

A locking plate 13, is a detail of the invention, consisting of a flatplate preferably having a mainly circular contour, frbm the edge ofwhich projects a hinge leaf which is offset at two points cZ, thusgiving said hinge leaf a substantially L shape in cross section, andproducing a hook member d on its free end, said member being parallelwith Patented Mar. 1910.

and spaced from the body of the locking plate 13, due to the spacedoffsets (Z, as appears in Fig. 2. In the front wall 11a, at a suitablepoint, la slot c is formed, of a proper size for the reception of thebent hook-like member (Z, and as said slot is formed in the angularcorner between the front wall 11, and side wall 11, it will be seen thatthe hook member Z may be inserted therethrough, and provide ahinge-jointed connection between the locking plate 13 and the hasp plate10.

In the member 12a, below and spaced from the slot c, a rectangular slotc2 is formed, said slot having opposite beveled edges c5, 0G, as appearsin Fig. 2. Upon the edge of the locking plate 13, opposite from the hookmember (Z, a linger hold lip 14, is formed, that is curved so as to haveclearance from the front wall of the casing 11, and adjacent to saidtlange or lip 14, a latch hook 15, is positioned that projects rearwardfrom the locking plate 13. The slot c2 and latch hook 15, are sorelatively disposed, that the latch hook will be adapted for a latchedengagement with the upper transverse edge of the rectangular slot c2,when said hook is passed through the slot, that is elected by foldingthe locking plate 13, toward and upon the pendent hasp plate 10.

It will be noted in Fig. 4, that a bowed plate spring 1G, is secured byone end 7, on the pendent hasp plate 10, above the latch bar 12, andthat said spring at the opposite end f thereof has engagement with theupper end of the member 12a of the latch bar, the tension of said springnormally depressing the latch bar at a distance limited by contact ofthe upper end wall of the slot c, with the body of the stud or screw c.

To more specifically describe the construction of the latching device,it will be noted in Figs. 2 and 5, that a rectangular notch c* is formedin the side edge of the latch hook 15, which notch receives acorresponding edge of the slot c2, when the locking plate 13, is pressedtoward the latch bar 12. On the nose of the latch hook 15, twooppositely inclined edges c3 are formed, which form an angle that adaptsthe nose of the latch hook to freely enter the slot c2. Zhen the lockingplate 13, is pressed toward the latch bar 12, and thus puts the hingeleaf CZ under tension, one inclined edge c3 of the latch hook 15, willride upon the. beveled edge c6, at an end of the slot c2, and press uponsaid edge, so as to effect an entrance of the latch hook freely withinthe slot 02 against the tension of theaspring 16. Furthermore, as shownin Fig. 2, the opposite or upper end of the slot c2 is beveled at c5,this bevel c5 serving to alord clearance for the latch hook 15, when itis inserted in the slot c2, and subsequently permitting the shoulder inthe notch c4 to have latched engagement With the beveled edge c5. Thelocking plate 13 is formed of resilient metal, so that the hook member(Z thereon is resilient, and by its engagement within the slot e, in thewall 10, is put under tension when the locking plate is folded towardand latched fast to the latch bar member 12". It will be seen,therefore, that when the latch bar 12 is raised by means olf a properkey, that passes through the hole Z) into engagement with the key postthe tension of the spring hinge member (Z will cause the locking plateto automatically swing open into the position shown by dotted lilies inFig. 2.

As before mentioned, in the center of the casing 11, and opposite thecenter of the keyhole Z), a key post is erected from the rear wall ofsaid casing. Complementary to the keyhole b, a keyhole Z1 is formed inthe center of the locking plate 13, and thus disposed opposite the post7) when said locking plate is closed and locked fast upon the latch hook15, against the tension of the resilient hook member (Z. Any number andcharacter of wards g may be provided, those of a very simple form beingindicated in Fig. 2, and a key b3 is fitted into the keyholes thatsurround said post, that` upon rotation, is adapted to raise the lockedlatch bar 12 and permit the resilient hook niemher CZ, that is virtuallya hinge leal", to throw the locking plate 13 outward, and thus releasethe pendent hasp plate 10.

Small keeper pins Zt may be formed on the edge of the locking plate 13,which will enter mating pertorations in the front wall 11a of the casing1li, said pins serving to penetrate and retain a paper seal C ol anypreferred character. in a shallow recess formed to receive it, and thusdispose the seal over the keyhole, so that the .seal must he broken whenthe lock is openedv` and thus expose the fact that the box or otherreceptacle having protection of the improif'ed sealing device, has beenopened.

In F ig. 3, the dilt'erence in construction shown from that hereinbeloredescribed, consists in modifying the form of the latching means. ln thisdevice, a slide plate 20 is slidably retained in engagement with therear side of a pendent hasp plate 10d by slots e', i, formed therein,spaced apart and parallel with each other, said slots being looselyengaged by keeper anges Z: that pass through said slots and have hookmembers on their :t'ree ends, which bear loosely on the slide plate.rlhe slide plate is arranged at one side of a keyhole Z that iscentrally formed in the hasp plate 10, and is normally pressed towardsaid keyhole by a plate spring 21 that engages the edge of said slideplate which is opposite from the edge that adjacent to the keyhole Z.Between the parallel slots lz', z', a rectangular slot m is formed inthe slide plate, which slot receives a latch hook n that projects from alocking plate similar to the plate 13, Which has a like hingedconnection With the pendent hasp plate 10d. It will be understood thatthe hasp plate 101 when folded upon the front plate of the lock, Will beadapted for secured retention by the lock mechanism, not shown, and thatthen the seal is to be placed over the keyhole and key post, after whichthe locking plate is closed, so as to insert the latch hook n throughthe slot m, which will secure the locking plate folded upon the lockedhasp plate, and thus protect the seal.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a keyhole cover plate 17 is pivoted upon thelocking plate 13, in proper position for its service as a cover for thekeyhole in said locking plate.

The improved seal lock is adapted for service not only on trunks, boxesor the like, but is also available for use as a seal lock for the doorson freight cars, Warehouses or other buildings, Where it is essentialthat a lock of the indicated character be used for protection of doorstherein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A hasp lock, embodying a pendent hasp plate, aspring pressed latching means mounted upon the hasp plate, a lockingplate hinged on the hasp plate and adapted to detachably engage thelatching means, and means for releasing said latching means.

2. A hasp lock embodying a hasp plate having a fixed member and a hingedmember pendent on the fixed member, a spring pressed latch bar pivotedby one end on one side of the pendent member, a locking plate hinged onsaid pendent member, a latch hook on the locking plate adapted forengaging the latch bar, and means for releasing the latch bar from thelatch hook.

3. A hasp lock embodying a has) plate having a fixed member, and a hingemember pendent on the fixed member, a lock case having a front Wallvvherein a keyhole is formed, a key post on the rear Wall of the caseopposite said key hole, a spring pressed latch bar pivoted by one end onthe inner side of the pendent member of the hasp plate, said latch barhaving an upright member that is slotted, a locking plate having aspring hinged attachment to the hinged member of the hasp plate, a latchhook on said locking plate adapted for in terlocking with the latch barin its slot, and a key that may engage the key post for releasing thelatch bar from the latch hook.

4. In a hasp lock of the character described, the combination With areceptacle and a lid thereon, of a hasp plate pendently hinged on thelid, a locking plate spring hinged on the pendent hasp plate, a latchhook on said locking plate, and a latch bar pivoted by one end on a sideof the pendent hasp plate, said bar having a slot through which thelatch hook may pass and interlock With a deining edge thereof.

5. In a hasp lock of the character described, the combination With areceptacle, and a lid therefor, of a hasp plate hinged upon and pendentfrom the lid, a latchmg device on the inner side of the pendent haspplate, a locking plate having an offset hinge leaf on its edge adaptedfor hinged engage ment With the hasp plate and connected therewith, anda latch hook on the locking plate adapted for detachably engaging Withthe latching device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES HENRY JOHNSON. l7itnesses EDWARD N. POOLE, DENNIS G. JOHNSON.

